The Second Time Raid
by AliasCWN
Summary: Dietrich has Troy and the other 'rats' don't know where to look for him.


**The Second Time Raid**

By:AliasCWN

"What are you doing Doc?"

"I'm going to try to trick these prisoners into telling us what we need to know." Moffitt pulled some dried plants out of the canvas bag at his feet.

"How?"

"Easy Hitch, I'm going to poison them."

"What? How's that going to help us find Sarge? They can't tell us anything if they're dead."

"I'm not going to kill them, not really. They're just going to feel like they're dying. We'll just tell them that the poison is a slow working one and we have an antidote. Once they eat this they'll get stomach cramps and break out into a cold sweat. The pain may get pretty severe for a while but it won't kill them."

"Are you sure?"

Moffitt nodded.

"All right Doc, if you're sure. What do you want Tully and I to do?" The blond shook his head reluctantly.

"You can show concern for them while I play the cold hearted sergeant." Moffitt explained. "I have to grind this up and mix it into their food. Then we'll let them wonder for a short time. Once the pain starts I will act the villain while you and Tully try to talk me into helping them. Hopefully they will talk before the pain wears off; it will only last a few hours."

"Do you think Sarge is all right?"

"I'm sure that he is Hitch. He's probably just sitting there waiting for us to rescue him."

"Huh!" Hitch grunted. "If I know Sarge, he's already working on a plan to get himself out."

Moffitt smiled, realizing that the private was probably right, Troy didn't wait for anyone. Once they found out where he was being held, they were just as likely to meet him coming out as they were going in. Troy had turned escaping from the Germans into an art form.

"Hitch, go get the rations and heat our meals. I'll grind up what I need and you can bring me the food when it's ready."

"Okay Doc."

By the time the meal was ready Moffitt had the plant ground into a fine powder. "Bring me one of those plates Hitch." Taking a plate, Moffitt sprinkled some of the powder over the food of one of the plates, mixing it with a fork. "Here, give this to one of the prisoners. We'll do one at a time. Let the other one sweat for a while."

The blond nodded and carried the plate over to the fire where he picked up a second plate. Taking both plates to where the prisoners were tied, he carefully placed them on the ground. He returned to the jeep to get a rifle before he untied the prisoners. Stepping back, he kept watch as they ate their meals. Once they were finished he tied them securely and took the plates back to the fire.

"I'll wash these and get you something to eat Doc."

"Make sure that you get them good and clean," Moffitt warned with a smile, "we don't want any part of that plant."

The blond stopped in mid-stride, a sudden look of uneasiness on his face. Finally he nodded and continued to the fire. Moffitt smiled to himself as he watched the private scrub the plates until they were shiny. Not until he was absolutely positive that he had removed all of the plant residue did he refill the plates for himself and Moffitt.

"I'm going to eat and then go relieve Tully. I left his food on the fire to keep it warm until he gets here." Hitch explained as he handed the refilled plate to the sergeant. "Can you keep an eye on the prisoners?"

The sergeant nodded as he glanced at the two Germans on the other side of the camp.

"Will that powder kick in soon?"

"Within half an hour or so I should think."

"I sure hope it works. We still don't know where Dietrich sent Troy." Sounding discouraged, the young soldier finished his meal and nodded at the sergeant. "I'll send Tully down to get his supper." Cleaning his plate, Hitch left it near the fire while he grabbed his rifle and headed out of the camp. Calling softly as he approached, he stopped next to Tully. "I'll take over; your supper is still warm."

Tully nodded his thanks and headed carefully down the slope to the camp. He headed directly for the fire, seeing the food still in the pan. "Did Hitch spoil the rations again?"

Moffitt glanced over and smiled at the inside joke. "They're slightly overcooked but not too bad. Don't forget, he who complains gets to cook the next meal."

"Yeah, I know, but it might be worth it." Tully answered with a grin.

A groan from one of the prisoners drew their attention. Tully pulled the pan off of the fire and set it on the ground. Taking his rifle, he walked over to check on the prisoners. One of the Germans groaned again, pulling his knees up tight against his stomach. He moaned loudly, looking up at Tully with a grimace.

"Hey Doc, I think something is wrong with this guy." Looking over at Moffitt he was confused by the smile he saw on the sergeant's face. "Doc?" The German watched his captors even as the pain rolled across his stomach.

The other German spoke rapidly, pleading with them to help his friend. His eyes widened with shock as Moffitt responded. Not because he answered in German, they knew he spoke German, but because of what he said.

"What did you say to him Doc; he looks like he saw a ghost?"

"I told him that I know what is wrong with his friend. He has been poisoned."

"Poisoned?" Now Tully's eyes widened in shock. "How'd he get poisoned?"

"I gave it to him."

The quiet admission floored Tully. He turned to stare at the sergeant in confusion. It took a moment before he found his voice. "What are you talking about Sarge? Was it some kind of accident?"

"No." The sergeant watched the prisoners watch him. "It wasn't an accident."

"But why Doc? We need them to tell us where to find Sarge!" Tully spun to face his sergeant with a look of disbelief.

"That's why I did it Tully." The sergeant explained. "They aren't talking and we're running out of time. We need to find Troy soon and they know where he was sent."

"And you think they'll talk if they think they're dying?"

"One might talk to save the other….or to save himself from the same fate. I told them that I have an antidote."

Tully raised his eyebrows but remained silent as he considered the plan. "It might work Sarge."

"Tully, don't call me Sarge. We're going to get Troy back. You just need to trust me."

"Oh I trust you Doc; it's these guys I don't trust." Tully nodded toward the prisoners who were staring back at them sullenly. When another stomach cramp hit, the older of the two moaned in pain. The second one looked from Moffitt to his friend, his eyes wide with concern. "How long do you think it will take until they decide to talk?"

"Oh, I think they'll hold out a little longer. You should have plenty of time to eat your meal while it's still hot." Moffitt laughed as Tully glanced at the overcooked rations with distaste. "You could always give Hitch cooking lessons."

"That's like trying to teach a pig to sing; it doesn't work, it only annoys the pig."

Moffitt laughed again; glad to have something to think about besides their current problem. After Troy had been captured by Dietrich during an attempt to destroy his tanks, they had tried to rescue him, only to discover that the German captain had transferred him somewhere off of the base. They had waylaid a patrol car and captured two of Dietrich's men but they were proving to be less than cooperative, thus the fake poisoning.

Another moan drew his attention back to the prisoners. The powdered plant was having the desired effect. Soon the prisoner would be breaking out in a cold sweat. Moffitt went to stand over them, again offering the antidote if they cooperated; both prisoners still refused.

"What if they talk Doc? Do you really have an antidote?"

"Of course Tully, some tea with a bit of ginger will do the trick. It wouldn't do to let him suffer after he tells us what we want."

"What if it's the other one who talks?"

"Then I might be a bit slow in brewing the tea." The sergeant admitted quietly. "Eat your food while it is still hot Tully. We need to be ready to go for Troy as soon as one of them tells us where to find hm."

Nodding, Tully went to retrieve the pan he had placed on the ground. The food was overcooked but only slightly, and he managed to eat it all. Since Hitch had done the cooking and was now on watch, it was his turn to clean up. He quickly replaced all of their gear, readying the camp for a fast departure if necessary.

The prisoner was groaning steadily now, pulling his knees to his stomach to ease the pain that rolled across his abdomen. Moffitt sat on a rock and watched with a look of boredom.

"Hey Doc," Tully called after listening to the moans for a while, "do you think they might talk soon? This guy is getting on my nerves."

"Doc?" The German repeated the nickname with a question in his tone.

Surprised, Tully looked at the younger German. The soldier might not speak English but the word doctor sounded similar in both languages. The German stared at Moffitt.

"What's he want Doc?"

"I think that he may be ready to talk." The sergeant answered. "Why don't you take our sick friend here and take him out into the desert where he won't be heard?"

Tully stood to do as ordered. "What's the plan?"

"I'm going to tell this one that you are going to take that one out and put him out of his misery. Let him think that we are going to poison him now. Oh, I'll offer to save his friend if he tells me what I want to know; whatever works. Just don't shoot him, we don't want to limit the time we have to work on this one.

Tully smiled. "Got it Doc." Pulling the groaning German to his feet, Tully hustled him off into the darkness outside of the camp. His moans grew fainter and fainter until they were no longer audible in the camp.

Moffitt began to talk to the remaining prisoner, warning him what would happen if he didn't cooperate, or if he lied. The German denied any knowledge of an American prisoner. His eyes kept straying to the spot where Tully had disappeared with the other prisoner.

Moffitt tried to impress on him the importance of cooperation; reminding him of the pain his friend had suffered. The German in turn asked how a doctor could be involved in the killing of an otherwise healthy patient.

Moffitt didn't bother to explain what kind of doctor he was; he merely said that the missing man was a friend. He stressed that the choice was out of his hands, he only wanted information. They alone controlled their fate; he merely offered them the choice; talk and live or remain silent and die."

The prisoner's reaction of disbelief was to be expected but Moffitt didn't let it go at that. He began to talk about the pain caused by the poison. The more he talked the more nervous the remaining prisoner appeared to be. Moffitt kept talking.

Tully returned alone, making a show of wiping the blade of his knife. Nodding to Moffitt, he turned to checking the jeep.

The prisoner looked around wildly. Moffitt offered him one last chance to talk. When he again refused, the sergeant walked over to his pack and dug out the packet of powdered plant. Pretending to measure it carefully, he stirred it into a metal cup half full of water.

"Tully, I could use your help."

"Just a minute Doc, I'll be right with you."

Moffitt continued to stir the powder into the water while he waited for Tully. The prisoner watched him fearfully. "Hold him down while I pour the water into his mouth." The sergeant instructed when Tully joined him.

Tully nodded and kneeled next to the German to grab him by the shoulders. As Moffitt stepped forward the prisoner attempted to kick the cup out of his hand. Moffitt deftly moved the cup out of reach of the thrashing feet.

"Hold him tight Tully."

"I'm doing my best Doc, he's slippery." Going for a better grip, Tully finally subdued the struggling prisoner. Tightening his grip, he nodded at the sergeant. "Okay Doc, I got him."

Moffitt stepped toward the German, reaching a hand out to grip his jaw. The prisoner began to talk, pleading with Tully for help. Despite the different languages, his message was clear. Tully looked at him with sympathy, but held on tight.

"Sorry buddy." He told the struggling soldier. "Just tell us where Dietrich sent Sarge and we'll both be happy."

The German looked at him in defeat. Looking at Moffitt, he began to talk.

Hitch looked around as Moffitt announced his arrival. "I heard the moaning clear up here, did he talk?"

"Yes," Moffitt nodded, "he told me everything he knew."

"When do we go after Troy?"

"We'll leave in the morning. We'll have to do some scouting of the other base before we go in."

Something about the tone of Moffitt's voice made Hitch uneasy. Looking away from the desert, he eyed the sergeant. "What aren't you saying Doc?"

"They may have already moved him somewhere else. According to our prisoner, Dietrich is expecting some high ranking officers to arrive. He didn't want any complications during their visit."

"And our rescuing Sarge would have qualified as a complication?" The blond asked.

"Apparently so. He said that he heard a rumor that Troy was going to be moved to an even larger base further away. The belief is that we'll follow Troy wherever they send him and stay away from Dietrich's base."

"That's crazy!" The blond responded.

"Why? It's true isn't it?"

"Sure Doc, we'll definitely follow Sarge anywhere they send him." Hitch admitted. "But how can we do that if we don't know where they sent him?"

"I see your point. Why keep it a secret if they wanted us to follow?" Moffitt glanced over at the prisoner who still looked nervous. "I need to stop Tully, he's bringing the other one back in." Hurrying out into the desert, he searched for the private and his sick prisoner. Seeing movement in the darkness, he called softly, "Tully?"

"Yeah Doc?"

"Hold it a minute, we may have a problem. I want to talk to our other prisoner again."

"Okay Doc," Tully shrugged in the dark, "just let me know when you want him."

"Why don't you get a shovel out of the jeep and continue our little deception?"

"Wait until I stash this guy again." Tully nodded at the moaning prisoner. "I don't think your plant has worn off yet, I had to gag him to keep him quiet."

"It does have that effect on people." The sergeant smiled. "I have to get back. Our other guest may not have been completely truthful. I'll get him ready for your reappearance."

Tully grinned evilly. "I'll be along in a minute."

The German prisoner was thoroughly terrified by the time that Tully returned for the shovel. Moffitt had spent the time regaling him with tales of the different poisons he had at his disposal. He gleefully described all of the symptoms of the different poisons.

Tully took his time digging out the shovel, whistling as he moved things around in the jeep. With a wave of the shovel and a happy nod to Moffitt, he headed back out into the darkness.

Struggling against the ropes binding him, the prisoner tried to pull away from the sergeant. He pleaded and begged, claiming that he had told them everything. Moffitt disputed his claim, saying that they knew he had lied. The German stuck to his claim while desperately looking for help from one of the privates.

"They won't help you." Moffitt smiled at the prisoner. "They follow my orders." Moffitt doubted that the German would dare question his own sergeants and would therefore not expect the American privates to disobey one of their sergeants either. "Our missing sergeant is a friend to them also, to both of them." Moffitt informed him truthfully. "There is no help for you if you continue to lie to me."

Realizing that he was alone and had no one to turn to for aid, the German slumped into his bindings in defeat. He still claimed to know nothing about the sergeant for sure, but he had heard other rumors too. While some said that the sergeant was being moved, still others hinted that that was a ploy to hide the sergeant on the base. The prisoner thought that the first rumors, saying that Troy would be moved, had been circulating too freely to be kept a secret. The others had been more quietly spoken.

This time when Tully returned the prisoner refused to look at him. Moffitt smiled and nodded victoriously at Tully's questioning look.

"Bring the other prisoner; we'll leave as soon as possible."

Tully nodded, stowed the shovel, and reached for his rifle. Returning to the darkness, he headed straight for the gagged and tied prisoner. As the sick prisoner stumbled into camp, Moffitt prepared some of the tea to relieve the cramps. At first the prisoner was reluctant to take anything that the sergeant offered him. It took a bit of talking to convince him that the tea would help. It was only after Moffitt lied and said that the antidote was mixed into the tea that the German took a sip. Tasting nothing unusual, he forced himself to drink the entire cup. Within a few minutes his symptoms began to ease.

The second prisoner, upon seeing his friend, realized that he had been had. Despite knowing that he had been tricked, he still looked relieved that his friend was alive.

Tully helped the prisoners into the jeeps and made sure that they couldn't escape. Calling to Hitch, he told him that they were getting ready to leave. Tully climbed into his seat while they waited for Hitch. "Where to Doc?"

"Back to Dietrich's base."

"What?" Tully twisted in his seat to look over his shoulder at his sergeant.

Moffitt smiled before pointing at the second prisoner. "Our friend here said that Dietrich had Troy hidden off base until after we made a rescue attempt. Once we had determined that Troy wasn't there, Dietrich had him returned to the base and the cells we had already searched. There are rumors that Troy was to be moved to a larger base further away but those rumors seem to be loud ones. Quieter ones suggest that Dietrich wants us to search somewhere else while he hides Troy on this base. I think we need to investigate the quiet ones. As Hitch pointed out, why keep it a secret if they want us to follow. It's not something we were expecting and you know what Troy always says, expect the unexpected from Dietrich." The sergeant explained with a smile. "If we're wrong, we can always chase the other rumors tomorrow."

"Why that tricky Kraut." Tully said with feeling. "We never would have looked there again."

"I think that that was the idea Tully. The other base was a trick to catch us without the risk of losing Troy. It almost worked too, at least the part about getting us to check out the other base."

"So there never was any inspection by some high ranking officers?"

"That part was apparently true. Dietrich really doesn't want us to rock the boat while those officers are here."

Tully grinned. "How's that going to work out for him?"

"Not so well I'm afraid." Moffitt answered sorrowfully. "I'm afraid that we are duty bound to show them how well Dietrich handles himself while under attack." The sergeant made a sad face as he rolled his eyes.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

They drove the rest of the way without speaking. While they were still an hour away Moffitt found an abandoned building where they could leave their prisoners. Handing them two packets of rations and a canteen of water, he told them to stay put. He promised to return for them as soon as possible. To reassure them, he promised that if they, meaning he and the privates, were captured, he would tell their captors where to find them. The two Germans watched them leave from the doorway of the rundown building.

The two jeeps soon disappeared in the direction of the German base. With no other choice, the two Germans decided to find wood to start a small fire to keep warm while they waited.

Dietrich's base was dark and quiet when the three Allied soldiers approached it on foot. Tully and Hitch took out the guards walking the perimeter while Moffitt kept watch.

"Hitch, take his place."

The blond nodded and with Tully's help, removing the heavy long coat from the guard. Using the coat to cover his own uniform, Hitch hurried to finish the dead guard's rounds on time. Pulling a scarf up around his face, Hitch kept his hat angled low over his eyes. Carrying the guards' weapons, he made a convincing German.

Tully and Moffitt watched him leave, hoping that no one tried to talk to him. With a jerk of his head, Moffitt told Tully to follow him. Together they headed for the cells under the building that Dietrich used as his headquarters.

Moffitt led the way, leery of a trap. He couldn't be sure that Dietrich hadn't set up the entire situation to trap them all. The prisoner had seemed sincere, even fearing for his life, but it never paid to get too complacent about security.

Moffitt's thoughts were on the prisoner when they were interrupted by a tug on his sleeve.

Tully tugged on the sergeant's sleeve and ducked behind a pile of pallets. As the sergeant slid in next to him he pointed to an open window on the second floor of the next building.

Looking that way, Moffitt searched for whatever had alerted the private. The bright glow of the tip of a cigarette flared briefly before the enemy soldier took his final puff. The tiny ember fell in an arc as the soldier threw the finished cigarette out of the window. As he watched the German soldier stood in front of the window and stretched his arm to the side. With a wide yawn he leaned out of the window and took several deep breaths. Someone behind him must have spoken because he turned his head to answer. He nodded and shrugged before reaching out to close the shutters on the window. Moffitt could hear the groan as the window was closed, sliding shut with a thump. They watched for any further movement behind the shutters but the soldier had gone. The sergeant nodded to Tully and they moved out of the shadows to the next pile of pallets.

It was a nerve racking journey across the base to the building Dietrich used for his headquarters. The sergeant couldn't hold back a sigh of relief when they reached it without any more surprises. They stood in the alley and watched the guard stationed at the door.

The guard cradled his weapon in the crook of his arms while he blew on his cold fingers. A stiff breeze blowing across the base was making a cold night even colder. He pulled his muffler higher around his face and neck and rubbed one hand and then the other against his leg in an attempt to warm them.

Moffitt told Tully to make his way toward the guard while he moved along the alley near the end of the building. Once he saw that the younger man was in position, Moffitt ducked deeper into the shadows and began to grumble about the weather in German.

The guard listened for a moment before calling to Moffitt. He ordered Moffitt to come out into the open. Moffitt called back, pretending to be drunk, and telling the guard that he had a bottle that he didn't want to share with everyone. Offering to share the drink, Moffitt told the guard to meet him in the alley.

The guard gripped his rifle tighter and looked to see if there was anyone else around. While he was considering Moffitt's offer, he failed to notice Tully creeping up behind him. Hitting him in the back of the head with a rifle, Tully caught his body before it hit the ground, turning him so that his rifle didn't hit the ground either.

"Take his place Tully, I'll get Troy."

Tully nodded and pulled the guard into the alley and hid the body. Like Hitch, he used the guard's long coat and scarf to hide his identity.

Moffitt waited until Tully was in position before he moved. Pulling his knife, he entered the building. The halls were empty as he made his way toward the cells. Since he remembered the way from their earlier attempt to rescue Troy, he wasn't surprised by the guard's desk at the intersection of the halls. He cautiously stuck his head around to check on the guard. The German was reading a book, his head near the lantern to light the pages. Positioning his body for a fast move, Moffitt gauged the distance. Pinching the tip of the knife between his fingers, he pulled his arm back for a throw. Stepping into the hall, he let the knife fly, killing the guard instantly.

Kneeling next to the body, he searched for the keys to the cells. What he found was a ring that contained more than a dozen keys that all looked the same. Moving quietly but quickly, he raced the length of the hall checking the cells as he went. The small barred windows on the doors hindered his search especially since it was very dim in the hallway.

"Troy!" With time running out, Moffitt decided to risk discovery by calling to the other sergeant. "Troy!"

"Here!" The faint call came from a closet door just past the cells. The door didn't have a window but the padlock looked new. Moffitt fitted key after key into the lock until he found the one that opened the lock. As soon as he pulled the lock off of the hasp the door swung open. Troy stepped out, a huge smile on his face.

"I guess Dietrich's scheme didn't fool you huh?"

"Almost." Moffitt admitted. "We came in three days ago looking for you but you weren't here." The British sergeant handed Troy the weapon he had taken off of the dead guard. "We managed to slip through the security Dietrich set up to catch us, but we came up empty."

"Dietrich moved me off the base because he knew you would come for me."

"Yes, we know."

"So how did you find me?" Troy wondered as he followed the other sergeant through the dark halls.

"We captured a German patrol car and managed to take two of the crew alive. They were reluctant to help at first but were very persuasive." The Brit smiled mischievously.

Troy cocked an eyebrow but they were now too close to the exit to chance talking. Troy touched Moffitt's arm and put a finger to his lips. Pushing past the other sergeant, Troy tensed to hit the guard as he walked past.

Moffitt reached over and put a hand on his arm. "Troy, if you hit him we'll have to carry him out with us."

Puzzled, Troy stopped to study the guard as he drew closer. The long bulky coat hid the young soldier's body while the scarf hid his face, yet there was something familiar about him. Troy watched him walk, trying to figure it out. It was his long, loose jointed walk that finally gave Troy the answer he sought. "Tully?"

The guard paused, facing the street, looking around the narrow alleys. Troy was starting to think that he had been wrong when the guard spoke.

"Wait a minute Sarge, there's a patrol coming down the street." The sergeants ducked into the building and plastered themselves to the wall on either side of the door. They could hear the stomping of the feet as the squad marched past. To their relief there was no pause in the pace as they passed where Tully stood guard.

"Okay Sarge, they're gone." Tully whispered as he watched the street.

The two sergeants slipped out of the door and passed Tully, taking the lead. They crossed the base, listening for the alarm as they headed for the spot where Hitch had replaced the guard. A squad of fresh guards beat them to the walls. Moffitt watched and listened as the fresh guards replaced the ones already on duty.

"Where's Hitch?"

"He was on guard where we came in." Moffitt told Troy.

"So where is he now?"

"I don't know. They weren't scheduled to change guards for another hour." The British sergeant explained uncertainly.

"They don't act like they know you're here." Troy decided after watching the guards patrol the wall.

"Maybe not," Moffitt answered dryly, "but the new guards are more alert than the ones we passed on the way in. Dietrich must have given them a harsh talk about staying awake."

"We'd better find Hitch and get out of here." Tully warned from behind them. "I only knocked that guard out; he'll be waking up and yelling pretty soon."

"They'll be replacing him soon and find him even if he doesn't wake up." Moffitt admitted.

Shouts in the center of the base announced that his prediction had been spot on.

"That's our cue to get out of here." Troy announced, moving forward.

"We'll show you where we came in. It's the nearest place to our jeeps. Hitch might still be somewhere close and maybe he can help distract the guard so we can get out." Moffitt began to run toward the perimeter of the base, aware that search lights would soon be coming on. As they got closer he began to search for Hitchcock.

The guard on the perimeter carried his rifle so he could bring it up rapidly. The alert had already been passed to the sentries. Even as they approached the wall the search lights began to illuminate the darkness.

A search light scanned across the open space before the wall, forcing the three men to duck to avoid discovery.

"Do you see Hitch?"

"No, maybe he got out." Moffitt suggested, searching the darkness outside the base.

"We'll have to make a run for it and hope he joins us if he's not already out." Troy readied to make a run as soon as the searchlight passed them again.

"Troy, wait!" Moffitt hugged the wall and followed the search light. As it swept over the guard, the guard blocked the light with his hand.

"What is it?"

"Look at the guard."

"Which one?"

"That one." The Brit pointed to the one he meant.

"It's Hitch." Tully chuckled from behind them. "He must have taken out the new guard so he could stay in place."

"Let's go." Troy said in a hushed tone. Leading the other two, he headed for the section Hitch was charged with guarding.

As Hitch passed they called from the shadows. "Hitch!"

"Stay put Sarge, I'll let you through on my next pass." the blond answered without breaking stride. He finished his section and turned to come back. "Sarge, as soon as the search light goes by, go out, one at a time."

So they did, one going each time the blond passed and the search light had gone by.

"Come on Hitch." Troy called as the three of them hid outside the base.

"Go on Sarge. Get the jeeps ready to go. I'll stay on guard until you have time to reach them. When you hear shouting, come pick me up."

Troy hesitated, not wanting to leave anyone behind.

"We'll meet you at the first outcropping of rocks. Don't make us come in for you." Moffitt called before Troy could respond. Touching Troy on the arm, he encouraged the other man to head for the jeeps.

They reached their vehicles, pulled the netting, and waited for the shouting to begin. At the first shout Tully hit the gas and took off toward the base. Troy followed in the second jeep, his eyes searching for his driver. They all tensed as a dark form appeared out of the darkness. They relaxed as they recognized the other private.

Hitch raced for the jeep; he could hear the Germans giving chase. It had taken them a moment to realize that he was gone, but they had reacted quickly. The heavy coat slowed his progress slightly but he couldn't afford to take the time to shed the garment. The jeeps rushed to meet him, slowing only enough for him to jump aboard. They raced away before the pursuing Germans could locate the source of the engines. Gunshots rang out behind them but none of the bullets came anywhere near the fleeing vehicles. The moonless desert night swallowed them up in its velvety depth, leaving the Germans frustrated and empty handed.

"Are we going to hit it?" The two sergeants were laying side by side atop a dune miles from the German base. Using field glasses, they were watching a long line of German trucks guarded by several halftracks.

Troy smiled without looking at Moffitt. "What do you think?"

"I think Dietrich is going to have a lot of explaining to do when those officers inspect his base." The Brit responded with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I wish we could have located these while they were camped last night." Troy stated quietly.

"Why?"

"We could have planted timed charges on each of the trucks. Can you imagine Dietrich explaining why his convoy blew up in the middle of his base?"

Moffitt laughed. "You really do have a devious mind."

"Yeah," Troy grinned, "but we're going to have to settle for hitting it out here. We won't get a chance to touch it before they reach the base."

"That's too bad. I really like your idea." Moffitt admitted.

"Maybe next time." Troy said. Glancing back toward the jeeps where their drivers waited, he smiled again. "Ready to go do what we do best?"

"After you." Moffitt answered with a smile and an exaggerated bow.

The two raced for the jeeps, jumping on as the privates moved to meet them. Looking around at his team, Troy grinned with satisfaction. Raising his voice, he called to his men, "Let's shake it!"


End file.
